


Moonlight

by alienzbarz



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-08-17 06:13:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16510874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alienzbarz/pseuds/alienzbarz
Summary: "Didn't think I'd find ya in the open," The attacker says. His voice is gruff and deep, sounding like it had been through its fair share of yelling and whiskey. Connor could work with that. "I've been tracking you for a while.""Ah, really?" Connor approaches, still keeping his same slow pace until he's face-to-face with the hunter. His eyes are a startling blue, his face looking just as stern as his voice suggested it to be. "Well congratulations! You seemed to have found what you were looking for."The hunter was having none of Connor's pointless humor. "Listen, I could take you alive," He shoots just by his feet, bullet missing Connor's boot by mere millimeters. "Or I could take ya alive with a bullet burning through your arm." He presses the gun against Connor's chest, the silver burning a perfectly circular imprint into his flesh.(A.K.A. The modern Vampire!AU no one asked for but got anyway. Be prepared for memes, bad blood puns, sex, and sad.)





	1. Three's A Crowd

Connor would admit to you that the life of being immortal got old just as fast as it started. Hell, he'd take you on a rant for days about how he missed the risk of being able to actually die. He also learned very quickly that being a vampire was not the same as depicted in the movies. You were constantly hungry, even if you were full, because your body missed having food even if it couldn't process it anymore. You could go out into the sun (Obviously! What kind of troupe is that?) though you certainly wouldn't WANT to considering the sun is bright and why even bother if you never need sleep?

 

Oh, and he found it extremely difficult to explain his "secret of aging" to his friends without inadvertently outing himself as some kind of hell demon, which, might he add, is a stupid idea. Vampires are attractive in the media! But it wasn't like he could find a suitable boyfriend while he was still actually alive, so he didn't know what he expected if most of the things that his partners looked for were already superficial.

 

And, oh GOD, how much he missed coffee. Having someone offer themselves up after they had a few cups wasn't the same, it was like metal mixed with that sweet, sweet bean juice and sugar, and somehow that aftertaste made him want to vomit, which just made him even more sad. He missed the bitter taste it left on his tongue and the rush that came with it. On the bright side, he could go confidently to his job without wearing his gear anymore. He never felt safer as a cop, but it removed some of the honor that came with the job. Connor was never really putting his life on the line anymore. 

 

Obviously his boss noticed something different when Connor started taking on new, more dangerous cases. Amanda had told him that his overtime working had become troublesome, and quite frankly, concerning. Connor dismissed her easily. He told her that he had too much free time and that working overtime helped him find something more productive to do with his time. It wasn't a complete lie, but it also wasn't a full truth. At least she didn't ask him why he didn't look a day over 25 at 32. 

 

Connor was hardly proud of the things he had to do to get by, not to say it wasn't easy. Finding people with all kinds of kinks was easy enough these days, but when they weren't clean, it wasn't the most pleasant experience. He never told them, he wasn't a walking STI machine and he wasn't gonna just go "Hey, thanks for the blood. By the way, you have HIV." He was also good enough about keeping himself discreet that he didn't think he'd ever be caught in a situation like the one he found himself in.

 

A girl, no age over 21, had attempted to take him home. It had been a while since he had eaten literally anything, so he decided to follow her. She dragged him to a back alley before pressing her lips against his, hard and rough and wanting. He could taste the alcohol on her tongue very faintly, which didn't register in his dumb dead brain as knowing she drank way too much. It didn't take him long to respond, pushing her back against the wall and kissing on her neck. He rolled his fingers through her blonde tresses before pressing his teeth into her skin. She made a soft moaning sound and pressed her crotch into his leg. 

 

Eh, Connor would bite. (Ha!) She was fairly attractive and seemed innocent enough. He didn't always make things sexual, but he was feeling frisky enough to try. He took his free hand and pressed it against her body, feeling her shiver under his touch. Something was satisfying enough about that to encourage him to continue. He continued to move his hand along her body, tracing around her breasts, trailing down to her thighs while still keeping a gentle enough grip on her neck so she didn't totally suspect that her lightheadedness was from him sucking her essence out of her.

 

Once he was finally done, he licked the small incisions he left on her body, clearing the fact that they were ever there. She looked at him, red lips swollen from how much she'd been biting them and pupils blown, before becoming faint in his arms.  _Dammit!_ He silently cursed himself. He let her body fall as slack as it would in his hands, putting his coat around her before hearing footsteps from the other side of the alley. Against the dark of the night, he could only make out the unruly silver hair that had been pulled back into a bun and a large figure with some kind of dark jacket. He grit his teeth, feeling his fangs poke into his bottom gums.

 

 _Well, that never feels great._ He snarls to himself as he faces the figure that now has a gun pointed at him. Having obviously dealt with this before, he presses against the bridge of his nose before giving a slight smile, showing off the red tinge of his teeth to whatever attacker approached him. He watched the gun glint in the moonlight. Obviously silver all around, fuck that was gonna sting. He moved towards the figure cautiously but still keeping the same smile and energy as he approached the hunter.

 

"Didn't think I'd find ya in the open," The attacker says. His voice is gruff and deep, sounding like it had been through its fair share of yelling and whiskey. Connor could work with that. "I've been tracking you for a while." 

 

"Ah, really?" Connor approaches, still keeping his same slow pace until he's face-to-face with the hunter. His eyes are a startling blue, his face looking just as stern as his voice suggested it to be. "Well congratulations! You seemed to have found what you were looking for." 

 

The hunter was having none of Connor's pointless humor. "Listen, I could take you alive," He shoots just by his feet, bullet missing Connor's boot by mere millimeters. "Or I could take ya alive with a bullet burning through your arm." He presses the gun against Connor's chest, the silver burning a perfectly circular imprint into his flesh. It wouldn't burn much past that unless he shot, but it certainly did not feel pleasant. Connor figures that the hunter wasn't allowed to kill him, so he decides to have a bit more fun first.

 

"What is this, some kind of public safety? Am I a hazard? I'm a cop!" Connor gave him a head tilt to complete the questioning. Hank looked at him, then the girl on the ground, then back to him. 

 

"Do you really want me to answer that? Come on, get in the fucking car, let's go." He tried to direct Connor with the gun, but Connor was still having none of it. 

 

"Come on! That's not even my fault. She had about 10 shots, I could taste it while kissing her." The hunter gave him another look of  _Really?_ "Okay, no, I didn't--It-it looks bad, I know. She took me here, I--" Connor finally ceased his arguing after going back and forth with himself for a bit. "Okay, fine. I didn't realize it until now." He finally threw his hands up in defeat. "I'll come with you, whatever, okay. But you have to explain to my boss why I'm not at work tomorrow without telling her that I got busted for drinking blood in public."

 

He slouched over in shame, though it didn't totally feel like he fucked up. Hank pocketed his gun instead of holstering it. "If you pull anything funny, I won't hesitate to shoot through your hand." He presses his hand against Connor's back, urging him to move along quicker. Connor groans, nodding in agreement and frustration as Hank leads him to his car. He allowed Connor to sit in the front seat with him, since the back seat was packed with shit. Crates of some kind, filled to the brim with what looks like a mix of toys and medieval torture devices. Connor opts not to ask about them until they've moved father along.

 

He watches through the windows as houses slip by like blurs. The car smells of leather and cigarettes with a hint of whiskey, just as rough as the man seemed himself. Connor decided to hold back any questions about where they were going until it seemed like they were closer to getting there.

 

"Hey, kid, what's your name?" The hunter finally chirps up in the seat next to him. Connor ponders him for a moment, thinking that maybe he should talk. Maybe it might make this car ride easier, but no, his stupid stubborn nature, combined with his cop instincts told him that giving this man any information at all didn't seem like the best idea. He remains silent.

 

"Look, listen. Do I think you are the reason for all these sudden disappearances in the area? No. That isn't my call to make." The man gives Connor a look of sympathy which just pisses him off more. 

 

"Do you listen when I talk? I told you, _I'm a cop._ I've been looking into the exact same cases as you, and so far I've found nothing." Connor finally breaks, feeling the pressure weigh on his shoulders like a fully loaded cargo train. No one liked being accused wrongly of anything ever, but it especially struck a nerve with Connor. The hunter raised his hands against the wheel, a gesture to show that he understood what Connor meant. 

 

"That may be..." The hunter said, his voice softer and more understanding now. "But we've found a few bodies completely drained of blood. We figured that there weren't too many vampires within the area, so--"

 

"Cut the cryptic bullshit." Connor snapped. "What is _your_ name, first of all? Second of all, who is "we?" And third of all, are you aware of just how big the Detroit clan is?" The hunter looked as if he was unready to offer up any answers, but surprised Connor when he opened his mouth.

 

"I'm Hank. That's all you need to call me. For now, that's all you need to know." Connor gave Hank a look of confused frustration.

 

"I'm sorry, _Hank,_ but I don't think it is. You came to me while I was feeding with consent--"

 

Hank cut in. "Dubious at best-"

 

"What do you expect me to do? Flat-out tell her I'm a vampire? Not only would that get me some crazy looks, but--whatever, whatever. Off topic. She was perfectly fine! Anyway, what makes you think I was the murderer? I look into these things for a living! What, do you think I would keep a corpse drained of blood sitting on a vampire hunter's doorstep? How sloppy do you think I would be?" Connor actually, truly looks offended. Hank gave him a puzzled and worried look. "Okay, no. Just hypothetics. I've never been that desperate. I have some amount of self-control."

 

Hank opens his mouth to protest but swiftly shuts it again when he realizes he truly has nothing to add. Despite Connor's unconventional methods of proving himself, Hank found himself believing Connor. 

 

"So, I ask again. Who is "we," and where are you taking me?" 

 

Hank was starting to crack, and Connor took note right away. "You'll find out soon enough. Be patient." Connor let out an agitated groan, taking an empty soda can from the bottom of the car and crushing it into a solid disk. 

 

It didn't take them much longer after that exchange to arrive. A warehouse, how typical. Abandoned for at least 5 years, barely any signs of anything outside of the house itself. A single street lamp lit the pathway coming into the lot. Beyond that was darkness and trees for miles. Connor could already feel an uneasy feeling sink into his bones as he followed Hank into the large warehouse that stood before them. Surprisingly, the inside looked like it had never been abandoned. Lights flickered above the pair for a few seconds before sputtering to life and revealing the warehouse in all its rustic glory. Connor felt like he had just entered his very own teen Sci-Fi drama as Hank continued to guide him around hallways, ending at a single room that resembled some sort of office. Inside the office stood two other people that Connor didn't recognize. Great, some more vampire hunters he would have to convince he isn't the devil.

 

"I got em, Jeffery." Hank pulled Connor toward the office, and Connor bit back another aggravated groan. "What did you want from him?"

 

Jeffery shooed the other men out of his office. He pulled a silver gun from under his table and placed it directly in the middle of the desk, and suddenly Connor was straight back into that Sci-Fi novel that he had made up in his head earlier. Jeffery motioned for Connor to sit, which he did, lowering himself into the chair cautiously. 

 

"So, Connor." Surprised to hear his name, Connor perked up a bit. "We've been watching you for a while. I've come to the conclusion that you'd be a very valuable asset to our team." Wait wait wait, hold the phone. Connor was just trying to get some much needed nourishment not even a full two hours ago, and now he's here? Being recruited by some Buffy the Vampire Slayer gang? No way. No fucking way in any hell or heaven. This day just got a hell of a lot weirder.

 

"I see. And why is that?" Connor questioned. Jeffery looked almost pleased that he brought up the question. 

 

"You get intel from both sides. You get the victims, and you get the whole vampire thing. You're a part of Jericho, no?"

 

Connor hesitated for a moment. Revealing his clan didn't seem like the best approach, but he certainly was not planning on healing around a burning bullet hole for the next month or so. He nodded. Jeffery smiled. "Good. We're not asking you to betray your own, but we need to get to the bottom of these disappearances. Hostile and reckless vampires are a threat to all of us, vampires and humans alike. You need to help us, you have files on each disappearance already."

 

"Jesus Christ, how long have you been watching me?" The realization hits him like a ton of bricks. Makes enough sense to him, though. It explains his feeling of uneasiness the past few months at least. "Wait, you didn't tell Hank the same thing that you told me."

 

"I tell my men what I have to, to keep them on task. Surely you can understand that, Connor." Connor nods weakly. "Thought so."

 

"I'm going to make a safe assumption that I have no choice in this matter whatsoever?" Connor tried his hardest to process everything that had just turned his life upside-down within mere hours. Okay, he took a girl home from a bar, drank some blood, got attacked by a gruff and rough demon hunter, dragged back to their super-secret hideout and forced to join their team.

 

Sounded like a Sci-Fi novel to him, and he's the vampire.

 

"You work in pairs. I'm going to pin you with Hank for now, just because you two seem to have very compatible personalities. You report to him before me, got it?"

 

Connor tilts his head in confusion. "Yeah. Wait, no, sorry. You guys are vampire hunters, correct?" Jeffery nods. "And you want me to be a vampire hunter too, correct?" Jeffery nods again. "Okay, alright. Just uh... just making sure."  _What the fuck._

 

"You use this." He slides the gun across the table and Connor nearly flinches away from it. "And this, if it works better for you." He puts a wooden stake on the table as well. He figures that he's clearly showing concern or worry on his face when Jeffery lets out a heavy sigh. "I'm not asking you to kill every single vampire. I'm asking you to hunt the ones who are causing these deaths. It would be cruel of me to suggest that."

 

He picks up the gun by the wooden handle, examining it for a minute. Mostly wood with few bits of silver surrounding. He spins out the wooden chamber of the revolver to reveal six silver bullets loaded already into the gun. He pops the chamber back in and swaps his second service weapon with the silver revolver. It fits comfortably into his second holster, and Connor is almost surprised. 

 

"What am I supposed to tell Amanda?" He nearly grumbles to himself, but Jeffery picks up on it right away. He gives a soft smile, one that's much more terrifying than reassuring. "We can take care of that, don't you worry."

 

He removes his pepper spray and replaces it with the stake that had been offered to him. This was going to be great. Connor really had no choice but to cooperate, other than killing himself with his brand new service weapons. And, on top of it, he was going to be partnered with Hank. Suddenly, eternity seemed to feel a million years longer. 


	2. Analyzing The Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor still doesn't know what the fuck is happening, and most certainly doesn't understand how to balance being a cop and being a vampire-vampire hunter. Things are still weird.
> 
> Oh, and Connor has a dog. Because dog. Hank also has a dog.

Connor opens his eyes after some much unneeded rest. He obviously never needed sleep, but honestly, he would rather take a full death than let his soft death keep him from entering sweet, blissful oblivion for a few hours. He looks around him to see a blue tinge to everything around him, as if it had just snowed outside, which really didn't fit considering it was the middle of Autumn. It hadn't dropped anywhere below 40 degrees. Connor begins to wonder if that was all a dream, if Hank wasn't even real and if Jeffery was just some sort of symbol to him of no longer being able to be controlled.

 

He rolled out of the "bed" he found himself in (it was a couch with a sheet over it) straight onto the floor. It was cold and concrete, and suddenly Connor knew that he most certainly was not in a dream when he realized that the walls around him were far away and metal.  _Fantastic._ He said to himself.  _So, you most certainly did get recruited by vampire hunters while trying to actually get some sort of food. Good to know I'm not losing my mind._ He pinches the bridge of his nose, moving to stand up. He notices that the revolver he had been handed earlier was on the table. He was half-tempted to press it into his palm to see if it would actually burn him because he wasn't fully convinced that any of this was real, but he had to go with it because he really didn't feel like having a shit burn on his hand.

 

He assumes that Jeffery heard the clatter of Connor hitting the floor, because the man was standing there with a concerned look on his face. The look was gone just as soon as Connor could notice it. "Hank is outside, waiting for you in his car. Grab whatever you need and meet him." 

 

Jeffery turned to walk away, but Connor stopped him with a point of his finger. "Hold on, I have so many questions. Why should I agree to this? What the fuck is going on? You guys seem to have investigation down to a T. You clearly stalked me for however long-"

 

Jeffery did not hesitate to pull his gun out and point it directly at Connor's chest.  _Fuck._ "We did. We know how you operate, Connor. You've come and gone so many times without a trace, what's gonna happen if you just do it again?" He released the safety, and Connor felt himself drawing back. "I can make it look like you took a case from Jeffery Fowler and none would be the wiser. I don't want to have to do that, Connor."

 

"But  _why_ do you need me?" Connor tried to choose his words carefully. Jeffery lowered his gun and clicked the safety back on. "You guys seem to have enough intel to dig into my past and background, so why would you need me?"

 

"You're the top cop on the DPD. You said yourself that the Detroit clan was massive. You provide us with information from both sides, vampires and humans alike, and case files as soon as they become knowledge in the system." Connor still wasn't buying into it, but he didn't protest. He just kept a burning stare fixed straight on Jeffery. "Listen, if you don't cooperate, I pop a silver bullet straight through your heart and wait for it to tear you apart slowly." Jeffery put his hand back on the gun. Connor felt himself coil. He didn't plan on dying after only being in the world 32 years. "What's it gonna be, Connor?"

 

Connor sighed, grabbing his weapons from the table in front of him. He holstered his silver gun and stake, making sure the stake kept itself hidden under his clothes. When Jeffery seemed satisfied with his actions, he asked, "Any more questions?"

 

"Can I ever go home?" Connor asked. Jeffery fixed him with a condescending look. "Jeffery, I have a dog. Her name is Lucy, and I'd like to see her again." He gave Jeffery his best puppy dog eyes, and Jeffery finally caved. Not even Jeffery was immune to Connor's sweet, innocent doe-eyes. Though, it seemed Hank was. He'd have to work on that.

 

"Get Lucy. Though I don't know how you manage to take car of her, considering all the hours you worked overtime." Jeffery gave a smug smile, and Connor looked at him incredulously. 

 

"That stalker bullshit is never gonna fail to creep me out." He sighed. "Anyway... what about my rent? I really don't feel like losing my condo, I want somewhere to go when all this is over." See, this is the shit they don't talk about in Sci-Fi novels. Connor wanted his dog, and didn't feel like house-searching again. He worked hard for where he lived, and he really didn't feel like throwing it away just because he was recruited by the _Twilight_ gang! (Connor admits, that one was bad. He'll hit himself for it later.) 

 

"Listen, kid. We need you on our team, which means you have to follow some rules. We all stay here, or at the very least, close enough to here to come at a moment's notice. Sorry if you don't like it, it's how we operate." Connor opened his mouth to protest, but Jeffery beat him to the punch. "I know. It's not your choice to be a part of this team, but everyone is at risk. There's no connection between the murders that we can find, and they're discreet enough to keep it out of the public eye, or make it look like something else. I don't mean to rip you from your life forever, this isn't permanent." 

 

Connor sighs. "I understand." He doesn't want to admit it, just because it seemed ridiculous to him, but some of Jeffery's fucked up logic made sense. "But I still want my condo after this is all over. I don't know how I'm supposed to pay rent with no money."

 

"You're going back to work, Connor. You just have to come back here afterwards. Having you on the investigative team is very important, especially seeing as you're the Lieutenant. Think of this as your... second job." Jeffery tried a tight smile. Connor was still having none of it, with his only motivation being the fact that if he didn't say yes, he was going to die. He gave him a toothy, aggravated smile before stepping out of the building to meet Hank. Hank didn't look too delighted to see the vampire either. Connor popped the handle to Hank's old car and slipped into the passenger's seat. Once he sunk in, he saw his work address plugged into Hank's GPS. Really, these guys had a fucking file on him or something. He pushed down the uneasy feeling that rose up to crawl under his skin.

 

"I need to go home. My dog is waiting for me." Hank gave a look of surprise before switching out the addresses in the GPS. Connor had to get over the fact that they knew where he lived. He pulled out of the abandoned-looking lot and began to drive to Connor's home.

 

Hank and Connor drove in an uncomfortable silence, Connor stealing looks at Hank every once in a while to make sure he was still breathing. 

 

Hank finally broke the silence. "So... have you ever... tried to suck your dog's blood or-" 

 

Connor looked horrified. "What the fuck?! I love Lucy so much! What makes you think I would  _eat_ her?" Connor pinched the bridge of his nose. "You guys know nothing about vampires other than dangerous! Dangerous! Shooty-shooty bang-bang. Or stab-stab. Whatever you prefer. Just because I have to suck it up and drink a pint of blood every few days does not mean that I would sink so low as to hurt my own _dog!"_

 

When Hank's stoic face turned up into a smile, Connor felt his anger melt away. "You're fucking with me, you're _so_ fucking with me. You just wanted to provoke a reaction." When his smile continued to grow, Connor felt himself completely lightening up. "You know, you're the worst kind of person."

 

Hank shrugged playfully. "What? It was a genuine question, you never know. Some people eat dog for fun." Hank let out a small chuckle, and Connor felt that aggravation come back, but this time it was playful.

 

"I'd like to believe I still have a soul. People with souls do not eat dogs. Dogs are precious." Connor perked up when they reached a stop sign. "I take it you've never seen Lucy, so here-" He looked behind to see if there were any cars, as them stopping at a stop sign for this long was probably illegal. Obviously there was no one on the road, Connor began to suspect that it was an abandoned service road because of how bumpy and broken it was, and how all the signs seemed rusted. He opened his phone to show his lock screen, and Lucy's adorable little black nose turned up at the sun. She was a German Shepherd/Rottweiler mix, with one blue eye and one brown. "She was one of the ones bred for the canine unit. She was the runt, can you believe it? They were going to put her down, but I told them that if they did, I would resign. I can't deal with shit like that. So, I took her home. She's the kindest dog you'll ever meet-" Connor realized he was rambling, but Hank didn't seem to care. He looked genuinely interested, and his features were soft, as if he could feel Connor's love for the dog through his words. "The rest is history. You'll meet her later. Don't get mad if she jumps all over you." 

 

Hank gave a small huff. "I don't think it's possible to get mad at that face." Hank had a sweet spot for dogs! This made Connor a bit more willing to cooperate with this makeshift blood-hunting gang. "I've got one too. Giant St. Bernard, his name is Sumo. He's back at home." Hank still held the smile that had bloomed on his face earlier. Connor thought it suited him. Another thought ran through Connor's mind.

 

"At... home? You're allowed to go home?!" Hank gave him a look like he was crazy. "Jeffery told me-" He recalled what Jeffery had said the night before. He slammed his head into the dashboard out of annoyance. "Well, shit."

 

"He just wants to make sure you're not going anywhere, Connor. I know it may not seem like it right now, but he has everyone's interest in mind. Why else would he let you go home to get Lucy?" Hank gave Connor a comforting pat on the back. 

 

"This whole situation is all kinds of fucked up!" Connor yelled, his face still against the dashboard. "You tried to kill me last night! If I don't cooperate, I die!"

 

"Well, no, I wasn't going to-"

 

Connor put a hand up in protest. "Forgive me, but I didn't ask to be ripped from my life to be a part of this. I'm going to be annoyed for a while if this is my new "normal." Fuck, I thought I had a confusing life before but I didn't know it could get worse. I just hope that none of these batshit crazy vampires are from Jericho."

 

Hank sighed. "I understand your frustration, Connor. I was in a situation similar to yours. I was a Lieutenant at the DPD who knew too much about too much. Jeffery was my boss back then, but he noticed that I wasn't too keen on investigating normal homicides." He took another deep breath. "He put me on a special unit to investigate cases like these, ones that were clearly the work of the supernatural. I had already dug into his other case files, he knew it. Damn machines always tell you everything, when people log in and out, what credentials, you know. He's a master of blackmail." Hank swallowed, as if he was biting back a demon that came up from his past through his throat. "But I got a drive for it. Eventually, it just-it felt like something I had to do. To keep everyone safe." Hank's tone was completely different now, he was obviously holding something back. Connor didn't push it. He just nodded. "You can do good here, Connor. Circumstances are shitty, but you can."

 

The two drove the rest of the way back to Detroit in a comfortable silence. When they finally reached the condo, Hank had offered to help Connor bring his things into the car. He noted that the bins full of toys and other more dangerous toys had been moved, so the back seat was completely free. Connor didn't have much, he moved light, the only things in his apartment being a few bookshelves of all kinds of books. He sighed to his plants, knowing they would probably die because he had no way to water them while he was gone. Lucy began bounding toward him as soon as he opened up the door, her tail wagging furiously. She jumped onto his leg. "Alright, alright." He plucked her leash from the coat rack hanging by the door. "I'll take you out." She began jumping around wildly, which just made Connor's smile widen. "We get to go for a car ride!" She barked with excitement. Connor clipped her leash, grabbing her giant bag of dog food, along with a few cans. He slung his favorite jacket over his shoulder, sneaking a few beanies underneath. He didn't bother gathering any of his clothes, he could always come back for those. Superhuman strength came in handy when Connor didn't feel like making two trips. He lead Lucy out the door, keeping up with her energetic pace as she bounded down the stairs.

 

Hank watched Connor carry a million things at once like he had three heads. Connor swapped all things to one arm and opened Hank's car door with the other. He pushed the dog food bag and cans onto the floor, laying his jacket on the seat along with his beanies. Lucy attempted to pull him away from the car but he tugged on her to keep her in place. He slammed his door and allowed Lucy to wander around the parking lot so she could do her business. Hank watched the pair while leaning against his car. They worked well together, he thought. Connor's affectionate side showed through the dog. She was such an excitable little pup who obviously received so much love, she didn't show an ounce of fear. Hank couldn't say he was surprised. It made sense.

 

Connor finally approached the car, and Lucy did just as Connor suggested. She hopped up on Hank, immediately asking for attention and pets. She was just up to Hank's belly standing on her hind legs. Hank happily gave her attention, which made her bark happily while wagging her tail. She gave him a few kisses before trotting back to Connor. Connor crouched down. "We're going somewhere for a while, okay?" The dog's tail stopped wagging, and Connor swore she could understand English. "It'll be fine, we'll be home again sometime, okay?" She licked his face, almost as if she could confirm she understood. Yeah, she definitely understood English. Connor lead her into the back seat, where she made a bed out of his jacket and beanies. He rolled down the back window for her so she could stick her head out, since she always loved to do that. 

 

Connor sunk into the front seat, Jeffery's words sinking into him like they had earlier. Hank followed soon after. He couldn't let himself get killed, and leave Lucy alone like that. She would be so lost. He let out a breath between almost pursed lips. Hank looked over at him. 

 

"I hate the fact that Jeffery is holding this shit over me." He groaned out. "I can't die. Not for this. Fucking hell, I'm not even halfway through a normal human lifespan and I've already got death looming over me like a plague." It seemed like Connor had been holding that in during the entire trip. Hank pat his back in an attempt to comfort him. Connor moved away from his touch. "I know. I get it, you're stuck here too. But fucking hell, Hank. If I slip up in either aspect, with Jeffery or Jericho, my head will be on a stake. If I look into these cases too much, I lose my job. I'm so fucked here."

 

Hank couldn't find any words he could say to comfort Connor, so he lifted his hand off of Connor's back. They sat together in the car for a good minute in silence before Hank pulled away from the complex parking lot. Connor's eyes fixed on his complex as they drove away. His world had completely been shifted. He hadn't asked for any of this, he was just trying to survive! Fuck. The stupid voice in the back of his head told him that he could've been more careful if that was all it was. His head found Hank's dash again.

 

"I hate to tell ya this..." Hank broke the silence, and Connor felt himself bite his tongue again. It hurt just as much as it had the night before. "But Jeffery took the liberty of taking your phone, so... you get a new one?" Hank tried to sound enthusiastic, and Connor felt like he was going to explode into rage. Fucking hell, a hostage vampire. Fanfuckingtastic. Hank pulled a new smartphone from his pocket, Connor immediately recognized it as the newest Samsung phone. Of course, of all things it had to be a fucking _android!_ "It's modded. You're able to tap into whatever network you'll need to with this, and you can't be traced." He placed the phone in the cupholder. "You can set it up whenever you're ready." Connor pocketed the device. 

 

When Hank pulled into the DPD parking lot, he took Connor's spot. Connor was grateful to have some sense of normality in all the madness he had faced within the past 12 hours. He was glad he didn't have to tell Hank that he couldn't stay long, because it was his day off. He was still uncomfortable with the idea that Hank knew way too much about Connor's life already. He slipped into the office, grateful for the fact that it was Nile's day off. He didn't feel like dealing with the questioning of his brother over why he didn't answer the 50 texts that he left. His brother always seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to Connor. He could always tell when something was off, and he could always tell when Connor was hiding something. He's glad that it's a bridge he doesn't have to cross yet. He slips through the office unnoticed. Amanda doesn't bother asking why Connor is there, she knows he's stubborn as hell and constantly works overtime, even with the days that she gives him off. He opens the terminal, poking around on the screen and transferring the files to a hard drive he can plug into his new phone. He opted to take his laptop as well, concealing it under his arms as he moved out of the building.

 

Once he got back to Hank's car, he started to set up shop. He set up his phone within minutes, letting the files load onto it as he opened his laptop. Hank watched him as he worked his way around the computers. "So, Hank. I have a few questions." Connor said, still not looking up from his screen. He types something every few seconds, making the screen change from black to white to blue against his face. "You never truly quit the DPD, no? You and Jeffery just have a secret unit now." 

 

Hank coughed. "Somethin' like that. Doesn't mean we can access these files anymore. Our credentials have been changed, they change every few months to keep things secure." Connor knew that. He nodded. "We needed someone who is able to access files on the inside. We can only build up our own. Can't even use these damn laptops anymore, they ask for credentials as soon as you open them. We don't know what the system knows."

 

It made sense to him. "So, that's why if Jeffery says I'm working under him... the DPD wouldn't question it." Connor continued to click away at the laptop until he came to a bright white screen with file names spanning from top to bottom. Hank gave a noise of agreement. Connor felt his insides turn. Yeah, he was pretty fucked. He turned the laptop towards hank. "These are all the suspicious files I've found within the past nine months." Hank browsed through the files, looking first at the ones dated back nine months, and working himself up to the present.

 

"One of these files is from three days ago. Have you looked into it?" Hank questioned.

 

Connor shook his head. "I haven't been able to, no. Because the bite was in his leg, near the artery, forensics wrote it off as a snake bite that he bled out from. I don't understand how they could be so stupid. They called it open and shut." He pulled his coat around him, as if he was cold. "A lot of those cases have been showing up recently. I don't really know how I'd be able to look into them without explaining to my boss that vampires aren't fantasy."

 

Hank started the car again. "Well, here's your big break, Connor." 

 


	3. That's the Idea, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Hank is a stupid idiot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello uwu I've decided to continue this fic, but updates are still gonna be shit because I'm shit, but I have a LOOONG plot for it now. I hope you enjoy!

For most of the ride, Connor and Hank remained silent. It was not uncomfortable or awkward, it was just a mutual silence that the two men found themselves falling into. Connor, analytical by heart, was thinking of all the ways the scenario could play out. In his head, there was one of four ways this could really go. They could find the rogue vampire, kill or capture them, and be done with their day. They could find this rogue vampire, get their asses handed to them, and leave without learning anything. They could walk in to see the whole place abandoned, no signs of life ever being there. Connor wouldn’t be surprised, Jericho itself was an abandoned freighter with hundreds upon hundreds of vampires scurrying about making themselves scarce by super speeding around. The fourth scenario, Connor continuously kicked himself thinking about, knowing he would get nowhere with a pessimistic mindset. They find the rogue, both of them get bit, and they run off with their injuries. He doesn’t exactly know how Hank would handle the bite, seeing as how his drive seems to be self-internalized. He chooses to backseat that one for if the situation comes down to it.

 

Instead of telling Connor that it was alright to leave the car, Hank put his hand in front of the vampire as soon as they arrived. Connor shot him an offhand look when Hank told him “Don’t screw up,” (He’s a fucking cop for christsakes, it was like having your stupid “superior” partner tell you that you’re not good enough for your fucking job) The pair left the car, walking side by side, until they reached the doorway to the garage. Hank pushed Connor behind him with a gentle nudge, but Connor pushed his way back in front.

 

“You can still die, Hank.” Connor said, opening the door with a push. Hank gave a scoff.

 

“That’s kinda the idea, Connor.” 

 

Connor shot him a scowl. Hank had been given the choice to live his whole life instead of being perpetually stuck at one age for the rest of it, and he already wanted it to be over in his early fifties. It sunk into Connor, that realization. He didn’t like the way it sat in his chest. He wonders if he’d be the same way. Either way, Connor positioned himself so he was guarding Hank without truly guarding Hank. Whether or not Hank tried to kill him, he was still human, and Connor did not like the idea of Hank standing in front of him like that. 

 

_ You could’ve done something, should’ve done something, but you chose not to move. _

 

Connor bit down his thoughts, drowning them out with the soft, shallow sound of his and Hank’s footsteps. He could move through this building and check it as quickly as possible, but something made him think that it wasn’t the best idea. Call it instinct, call it Hank being a reckless idiot. He continued to move, his hand resting comfortably on the gun that lay in his holster. 

 

After about 10 minutes of moving through the house and seeing no one, Hank finally gave. “Connor, we’re getting nowhere. This is a dead lead.”

 

Connor perked up, as if he was a dog. A shallow exhale, a surefire sign that someone else was there. An action so human it was performed by someone that was not. “Shut up.” Connor grumbled, holding a hand at Hank’s shoulder.

 

“What do you-”

 

“Someone is here.” Someone who can hold their breath forever and carries no scent to them. Someone who didn’t smell of all the things that Connor missed about being alive. It was a dead lead, alright, but not the kind of death that Hank was believing it to be. 

 

In three swift motions, the floor above them broke, and a figure emerged in front of the two men. The figure’s eyes practically glowed red with the little light that came in from the outside. Connor could recognize that change anywhere. He was angry, he was starving, and he was so broken. Something told Connor that he shouldn’t chase the vampire, he saw himself in him. He saw himself flash in his eyes, and he felt a sadness he had never felt before. But Hank laid on the ground, tackled by the vampire and the sheer weight of the debris, and before Connor knew it, his feet were moving. 

 

When vampires were running low on energy, they were much more humanlike. They couldn’t move their feet at amazing speeds, as if they were wounded or hurt. Much like humans, they needed energy to survive. They could lose their life if not given someone else’s force to take. To say that this vampire put up a fight to chase was an understatement. He may not have had super speed, but he found every nook and cranny to hide in, and Connor was running straight past him almost every time. Hank followed close behind, which surprised Connor because of how they had fallen. Connor felt like his actions weren’t very calculated each time he let the vampire run past him. He felt sloppy and off, as if he were performing under pressure. With each jump, he felt like he was taking about 30 steps back. Nonetheless, he continued to chase the vampire through the busy streets of Detroit, dodging people left and right, running around cars, through stores, whatever. It was insanity, and Connor got a rush from it like he hadn’t in years. He felt like his old self again.

 

The three men had come to an interpass. Connor and the other vampire stood across the street from each other, while Hank stood in the middle. The vampire, of course, noticed Hank before Connor. It was in his nature to smell the blood. Of course it was. He ran to Hank, pushing him into the right side of the intersection, straight in front of a sixteen wheeler truck. 

 

Now, Connor would be lying to you if he told you that he had any second thoughts. What he was thinking was not clear, but Connor could really not die from a lot of things. A speeding car would hurt like a bitch, but he could heal. A speeding truck… it would suck, it would take the longer half of eternity, but he could rebuild himself. Hank, no matter if he had pointed a gun straight at Connor’s chest the night before, could not just regenerate parts of his body that no longer worked. Hank was a fragile human, no matter what he tried to tell everybody. You can’t survive a whole 300,000 pounds of truck hurdling at you at over 50 mph. So, yeah. Connor could’ve died by Hank’s hand the night before, sure, but he sure as hell wasn’t gonna let Hank die like that. He ran onto the road at an inhumane speed, picked Hank up, slung him over his shoulder, and tumbled off the intersection, only getting nicked by one car instead of 300,000 pounds of one whole ass truck. 

 

Hank sat up at the edge of the road, catching his breath. He took a while to come back completely, his head spinning too quickly to process what just happened. He slowly brought his head up to look at Connor, who had clasped a hand over his shoulder.

 

“You’re still breathing, right? Okay? You didn’t get too hurt?” Connor asked, clearly concerned. He tried not to express it, but when presented with something so permanent as death, he couldn’t help it. His own death didn’t scare him half as much as human death did. Hank finally got enough of a hold of himself to push Connor’s arm away. 

 

“Fuck, you could’ve caught him.” He said, running his hands through his hair. He looked much more horrified than pleased, which made Connor hurt even more for him. “You could’ve caught him if you just kept running.”

 

“I wasn’t going to let you get killed!” He shouted. “You had- you were going to be turned into blood stew on the fucking highway!”

 

Hank shook his head. “Bet you would’ve liked that, huh, Connor?” Connor kept an unwavering stare straight on Hank’s face, fixed into his eyes. Connor hoped they could burn a hole through his soul, but he saw something flicker across Hank’s face for just a brief second. He couldn’t place what it was. He wasn’t gonna attempt to go full detective mode on Hank’s ass, it wouldn’t do either of them any good. But something was there, was it pain? Was it guilt? Was it… was it some sort of gratitude? Connor didn’t know, but he stood up. 

 

“No one deserves to die like that.” Connor hissed. “And, for your information, no, I wouldn’t like the taste of a bitter old man.” With that, Connor ran straight back to the scene of the crime, not giving Hank enough time to catch up to him. He could feel his anger bubbling up inside of him, but he chose to ignore it. Connor chose to do a lot of things he would regret five seconds after, like saving an ungrateful shell of a man from his own fucking death seconds before it happened. He wonders what would’ve happened if he had let that car fucking hit. And, suddenly, Connor doesn’t know why he’s so pissed off. They had one okay conversation about dogs and Jeffery being a prick in the car, it didn’t mean that they were best friends. It didn’t even mean they were friends. Connor knew that in his stupid head, but his stupid head had other ideas than to let him believe other things that his stupid head said. This is the same person that pointed a gun to his head yesterday, he didn’t owe him anything. They owed each other absolutely nothing. 

 

Yeah, that’s what Connor told himself when he saw Hank shuffle back into the abandoned house. Connor pretended like he was looking for clues when really all he was doing was trying to do was find any sort of distraction or something else to fix on. He didn’t want to admit to himself that he felt sympathy for the man. He didn’t want to admit to anything at all, Hank seemed to hate him even more after he had saved his life. 

 

Connor found something interesting on the walls that gave him a bit of a shock. He looked over to find blood crusted along the edges of the doorway. With no second thought, he dipped a finger into the crusted blood and dragged it across his tongue.

 

“What. The. Fuck.” Hank stared at Connor in shock. “What the fuck is wrong with you?!”

 

Connor gave him a look. “I’m analyzing the blood. I’m a vampire, Hank.” He moved the finger away from his face. “It’s about 4 days old, no venom in it. B+, no traces of alcohol but some other drug was mixed into it. I don’t recognize it.” He moved his finger back to his mouth when Hank grabbed his arm and yanked it away.

 

“Okay, no. I don’t care if you’re some super new well-oiled machine, you are  _ not  _ putting evidence in your mouth, got it?” 

 

Connor shrugged. “I don’t know why I would take advice from someone who would throw away their life for evidence.” He grimaced against the taste of the dried blood. It tasted like stale, freezer burnt meat. Not a fantastic thing to be coupled with the anger hanging over him for Hank. He moved from the dried puddle and looked around for that same drug he had tasted in the blood. 

 

“Fuckin’ A… Whoever our dude is, he really likes to party.” Hank said from behind Connor. Connor spun around on his heel like a perky ballerina and walked over to Hank, who was now holding a bag of various drugs. Fairy dust, red ice, molly. Whatever drug you wanted, you name it. Each pill contained a liquid that could just be heard faintly if you shook the bag. 

 

“I can bet you everything I own that that’s plasma in those pills.” Connor said, taking the bag from Hank. “He’s not partying as much as you think, I’m sure he’s selling these. All of these.”

 

“Huh. Why would a vampire need to be a drug dealer?”

 

Connor gave him an incredulous look. “If the sun made you sick, do you think it would be easy to find work that didn’t involve you being near it at some point? Anyway, half of these are vampire drugs. Pure plasma. Not a ton of actual value, but it gives you a rush as it’s the purest form of life you can get other than literal stem cells. Our guy apparently has enough control to handle human blood enough that he can separate it.”

 

“Which means…”

 

“Which means you’re not going to find him again like you found me. He’s careful. He can afford to buy his own blood without having to take it. Unless he didn’t make the pills.” Connor began scanning the rustic squat house for any signs of any kind of drug-making devices. A centrifuge to separate the blood, capsules for the plasma, syringes, tubes, anything. When he came up fruitless, he returned to the room Hank was in, while Hank was still scanning for more clues.

 

“He’s practically a decoy. Just a dealer, possibly a junkie. He’s covering for someone else. We need someone higher up on this chain.” Connor shuddered when he realized what that truly meant. He needed to get back in contact with Markus. “Is there any way you think Jeffery could give me my old phone back?”

 

Hank scoffed. “Have you met him?”

 

Connor sighed. “It’s literally for the case.”

 

“What?”

 

“I have an old friend I need to contact. If he sees a number he doesn’t recognize, on his personal phone, it’s an easy reject. Just trust me on this.” 

 

Hank stared at him. 

 

“Okay, don’t trust me, you don’t have to, but I need it. It’s just gonna make this a lot smoother, for you and me both, I promise.”

 

Hank let out a noise of frustration, before finally giving in. The pair walked out of the house with the evidence they had collected and Hank finally called Jeffery, arguing with him for about 10 minutes about trusting the vampire. It was more Jeffery convincing Hank to trust the cop vampire more than anything, and that he could take his phone after everything was over. Connor had to agree to his phone being tapped, which, really, he already knew it was, but it didn’t matter. In his situation, it really didn’t matter. It wasn’t like he could run away. 

 

“He agreed.” Hank said simply after hanging up, grumbling something under his breath. 

 

“Didn’t much sound like you did.” Connor replied. Hank said nothing as he stepped into his car. “It’s just a phone. There’s a whole lot of nothing I can actually do with a phone since I’m stuck with you at all times.” 

 

“It’s not that.” Hank shot back. “They can track you. The DPD. We can’t stop them from doing that, your phone is tapped by both Jeffery and her. Amanda worries about you, but we both know damn well that it’s not because she cares. She knows something is up, and she wants the dirt so she can use it.” 

 

Connor scoffed. “As if anyone would believe her saying that Jeffery has a vampire slaying unit. I don’t know why you’re worried.”

 

“As of right now, she doesn’t even KNOW you’re working under Jeffery. She doesn’t even know that I’m working under Jeffery. She could get us shut down easily.”

 

Connor puffed his cheeks. “Okay… so… we use code words. Instead of vampire, we say, uh… dancers? I saw some dancers over there! Those dancers really know how to get the blood pumping, I see them practically suck the life out of people every day… or really, maybe, uh… CEOs are a better word, since the higher-ups are actually out to suck the life out of peopl-”

 

“Connor. Please, for the love of god, shut the fuck up and take this seriously.”

 

“I am taking this seriously. I’m offering an alternative, and you’re shutting it down. Listen, just for as long as I have the phone, we talk in code. Not in that code. We’ll figure it out when we get to it. Or we won’t talk at all unless it’s necessary. That sound alright to you?”

 

Hank let out a long breath as he started the car. “This is going to be a fucking day. Can we just go get your stupid phone?”

 

“Do you just want me to stop talking?” Hank didn’t reply. Connor let out a breath, and started sifting through his pictures of Lucy.


End file.
